Curated OER
My Antonia: Body Biography Book Report
Examine the characters in Willa Cather's My Antonia with a group project. Small groups illustrate their chosen character on a large piece of paper and choose quotes from the text that tell about the character. Where young scholars...
BBC
Local Democracy
Middle and high schoolers explore how democracy works. After a teacher-led discussion, pupils go to websites embedded in the plan which lead them through activities that are all about the democratic process. The first website has them...
Anti-Bullying Alliance
Anti-Bullying Lesson Plan
Wicked is not just a Tony Award winning broadway musical. It also makes for a strong base to teach character education, specifically anti-bullying. Scholars listen, discuss, role play, and show what they know through a group...
Curated OER
Full Esteem Ahead
Young learners who feel good about themselves will fare better in the long run than those who do not have a high level of self-esteem. Introduce youngsters to what it means to like themselves. Discuss positive characteristics and...
Curated OER
Questioning Strategy for Les Miserables
After reading or watching the musical Les Miserables, challenge your high schoolers with these analysis questions. The sheet provided suggests having class members record the answers to these questions, but they would also be good...
Sandra Effinger
Bulletin Board Project
Imagine a project that informs and entertains. Replace book reports with a bulletin board that highlights all the important elements of a novel. Readers research the author, create a timeline of events in the story, write a...
Western Illinois University
Holocaust Unit Plan
Would it have been you? Scholars investigate the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II. They view, interpret, and analyze the video The Holocaust to gain insight into who exactly was impacted by the events Europe. They then...
Stanford University
Ruby Bridges
A two-part lesson features Civil Rights hero, Ruby Bridges. Part one focuses on the heroic actions of Ruby Bridges then challenges scholars to complete a Venn diagram in order to compare themselves to her. Part two begins with a...
Curated OER
The Lion and the Mouse
Students examine a story. In this good citizenship lesson, students read the story "The Lion and the Mouse" and discuss being kind and what it means to be a good citizen. Students hold a discussion about how other animal pairs could...
Curated OER
Following Their Footsteps
Students research and create a book report on a famous person. In this character education lesson, students examine the positive traits exemplified by a famous person and present an oral presentation for their classmates.
Curated OER
Hero Stories Teach
Young scholars create a slogan. In this heroes lesson, students identify traits from hero stories that match traits of real life heroes. They discuss what lessons they can learn from heroes about courage and come up with a one line...
Curated OER
Let the Campaign Begin
Students differentiate between positive and negative personal attributes and select a fictional character for nomination who personifies the qualities of a good leader. They use the Internet to learn about the election process and write...
Curated OER
Story Stew -- Teaching Character, Plot, And Setting
Students examine the story elements of characters, plot, and setting. They identify the story elements from various "ingredients" taken out of a pot, and add their own story element "ingredients" on index cards into the pot.
Curated OER
BMI For Kids - Body Mass Index
Promote healthy lifestyles with an interactive that provides young learners with healthy nutrition and exercise messages. Class members plug their height and weight information into an online body mass index calculator, and hear positive...
Character Kids
The Fourth and Fifth Rs - Respect and Responsibility
Set the tone for a successful school year with a list of strategies to instill respect and responsibility. With tips for classroom management and ways to get parents involved, the resource is valuable for new and veteran teachers alike.
Brown University
The Candidates and Their Values: Election 2016
Voting for the next president of the United States is about finding the candidate who most closely aligns with your own values and sense of democracy. High schoolers become acquainted with the candidates from the 2016 election with a...
Curated OER
Storytelling in the Classroom
What makes story telling special? Young readers demonstrate how to tell a story to others. Kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders read biographies of "Building Blocks" characters and tell a story about a character to their...
Curated OER
Drama/Theatre
Students discover how setting, props, and character-action communicate information about the characters and the story. Access to videos and a video camera are important to make this lesson a success.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1
Your students have mastered using textual evidence in literature, but what about using this skill in informational texts. Uh oh! That is right—they are not the same thing. Darn the Common Core! See options on how to differentiate...
Morningside Center
Challenging the Boy Scouts of America's Anti-Gay Policy
This straightforward plan invites class members to consider Boy Scouts of America's position on barring homosexual members. It includes readings outlining the position of those against such discrimination, but little from the perspective...
Curated OER
Teaching Respect
In this respect worksheet, students read a list of steps about how to be respectful and complete a set of discussion questions based on a referenced video program. Suggestions for related student activities and writing are also given.
Curated OER
Teaching Responsibility
In this responsibility worksheet, students read a list of steps about how to be a responsible person and complete a set of discussion questions based on a referenced video program. Suggestions for related activities are also given.
Curated OER
Bad Bard/Good Bard: Coming to Character through Preconceptions of Shakespearean Acting
Students practice their own acting skills. For this Shakespeare lesson, students participate in choral readings and reenact scenes from The Taming of the Shrew. Students then discuss the difficulties of Shakespearean acting.
International Boys' Schools Coalition
Empathy
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is a common phrase we hear from time to time, but do children really understand? Explore empathy with elementary schoolers using these activities. Focusing on feelings and emotions,...